Unbeaten Royal Ascot winner Dawn Approach is taking exactly the same path as his sire New Approach in more ways than one.

On the racetrack, the plan is for him to have a break through mid summer, before two races in Ireland, the Group 2 Galileo Futurity Stakes on 25 August and the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on 15 September. New Approach won both those races in 2007.

After that, Bolger will decide whether to continue on the same path by contesting the Dewhurst at Newmarket during October. Victory there would be a fitting end to a fine two-year-old career.

Dawn Approach is also on track for a similar programme next year, though Bolger will be hoping that he has a better outcome in the 2000 Guineas. His sire went off favourite on the day, but was headed inside the final furlong by Aidan O’Brien’s Henrythenavigator. Dawn Approach is current favourite for next year’s race, a best price of 12/1 with Ladbrokes.

Yesterday, Dawn Approach took an identical path to his father off the track, when Godolphin bought a controlling share in him, just as they had done with New Approach in 2007. On both occasions Jim Bolger was the owner and trainer. They have made their move a little earlier this time; Sheikh Mohammed didn’t move for New Approach until September in 2007.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said, “We are delighted Dawn Approach will race for Godolphin and look forward to seeing him race at the highest level throughout his career.”

Bolger will continue to train Dawn Approach for the rest of this year, and Godolphin will only decide over the winter whether he moves stables for next year. It would be a shame if he did. Although his sire was beaten three times, in the 2,000 Guineas in England and Ireland, and in the Juddmonte at York, his wins at Epsom in the Derby, and then in both the English and Irish Champion Stakes marked him out as a top quality racehorse.

This year sees his first crop of horses racing, and as the results in the juvenile races at Ascot last week showed, New Approach is already proving he has much to give in his new career.

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https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/gg-logo-new.png00IanShttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/gg-logo-new.pngIanS2012-06-28 12:05:512012-06-28 12:05:51Like father, like son